Dear friends of Israel

Fredi Winkler: A Biographical Sketch

In 1973 Fredi Winkler and his wife Beate went to Israel because Fredi was directing the construction of Beth Shalom’s new guest house. In October 1975 the building project was completed. Since its dedication Fredi Winkler and his wife are managing the Hotel Beth-Shalom. One of Fredi’s manifold tasks is leading tour groups through Israel. In 1991 he decided to attend the course for tour guides in Israel, and in 1992 he received the diploma as a licensed tour guide.

During the last years the demand for group tours has continued to rise. For instance, in 2009 Beth Shalom organized as many as 15 tours through Israel. Meanwhile Fredi Winkler has help from his son Ariel who also is a licensed tour guide.

From 1974 through 1990 Fredi and Beate Winkler were blessed with nine children. With the exception of the two youngest ones all of them have started their own families. Fredi and Beate Winkler already have 16 grandchildren.

August 2010

Dear friends of Israel:

Recently the Haredim (ultra-orthodox Jews) have further damaged their reputation among the Israeli population, mostly because of their mass rallies against the evacuation of ancient graves that often emerge on construction sites or against a court decision which prohibits the ethnic segregation of school classes (e.g. separate classes for Ashkenazi and Sephardi children). This loss of prestige affects both ultra-orthodox Jews and religious Judaism in general. In an article for an Israeli daily a commentator makes the following observation: “I see a movement that has lost its way, its mission and … is leading us astray. Is it really surprising if secular Jews do not want to have anything to do with religion? … While many may look at the state of Judaism here (in Israel) … in very positive terms … I am afraid they are viewing matters through rose-colored glasses. Simply reading the daily newspapers or listening in the news on the broadcast media leaves one to wonder – whatever happened to Jewish religious/ethical principles?”

The author of the article also mentions the warnings that Israel’s ancient teachers uttered when it comes to striving for a position of authority, as those in power necessarily trade off their privileges against religious principles. And as secular Jews observe their orthodox counterparts acquiring financial gain and privileges as coalition partners in the government, how many are drawn towards religion and how many are driven away?

July 2010

Dear friends of Israel:

The flotilla that was allegedly chartered by "peace activists" and loaded with relief goods for the "needy" in Gaza was in fact a clever scheme with the objective to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza and to ostracize Israel in full view of the entire world. Many of the partly naïve activists were obviously convinced that they were on a crusade for a just cause. However, first of all there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and secondly the allegedly vital relief goods would have reached Gaza anyway. Therefore there was no need to break the Israeli sea blockade. It is also true that Israel cannot afford to allow ships into the harbour of Gaza without previous inspections, as it is still in a state of war with the Hamas regime. In spite of the sea and land blockade a dangerous amount of weapons is being smuggled through the tunnels near Rafiah. This is why the blockade is vital for the protection of the Israeli population. Without this measure Iran would misuse Gaza as a toehold against Israel and bring in all imaginable kinds of weapons.

Who is really behind the attempt to break the Israeli blockade? At a first glance there does not seem to be an easy answer to this, but it becomes more and more apparent that Turkey and/or the Turkish government is responsible for these activities. Unfortunately the Turkish government seems to be ready for a shift into the Islamic camp. The political change in this country is also becoming evident by its seeking closer ties to Iran. After the "bloody massacre" at sea, as the storming of the flotilla by IDF troops was called by the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, he declared in a speech to the parliament: "Today we have arrived at a turning point in history. Things will no longer be the same as they were before."

June 2010

Dear friends of Israel:

After a long period of dilly-dallying the Israeli government and the Palestinians are ready to resume proximity talks. Israel is even willing to discuss core issues such as the status of Jerusalem and the refugee problem. Moreover, Israel has given in to the Palestinian demand for a freeze of the construction activities in the so-called «occupied territories». Obviously these developments are the first results of President Obama's new approach in the Middle East policy. However, Jewish circles in Israel and the United States are concerned about the recent situation. Many are having qualms about the American government's true position regarding Israel and the Middle East. When the Israeli Defense Minister went on a trip to the United States in late April, he dispelled such doubts. In a speech to a mostly Jewish audience he said: "I feel very strongly that these differences, these slight disputes are behind us." He also put the minds of the participants at ease by explaining that the relationship between the Israeli and the American defense establishments "is extremely good ... and the bonds are intimate and unbreakable." Barak also expressed urgency on reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinians, citing the demographic threat. He warned that without a two-state solution the options would be a bi-national state or a non-democratic state. Although most of the governing coalition is right-wing – his own Labor Party being the sole exception – he stressed that Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu is ready to work toward peace, albeit the steps to be taken in that direction are not easy.

May 2010

Dear friends of Israel:

When the American Vice-President Joe Biden visited Israel, the Israeli Minister of the Interior, Eli Ishai, declared that the government has approved further construction in Ramat Shlomo, one of the Jerusalem suburbs beyond the so-called “Green Line”. This move has caused lasting tensions in the relationship between Israel and the United States.

Afterwards the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to America because he was invited as a speaker to the conference of American Jewish organizations (AIPAC). During his visit he also met President Obama. Netanyahu was obviously told that Israel could no longer look to the United States for unlimited support in all areas of Israeli policy. In her speech to the attendants of AIPAC Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented the new position of the Obama administration. She said that Israel could be put under pressure if necessary, but that the security interests of the Jewish state should always be taken into account. Mrs. Clinton also explained that the status quo of the last decade has not lead to permanent security – neither for Israel nor for the Palestinians, and therefore this situation would have to be changed. Unlike its predecessors the current US administration sees the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as a part of the complex power structure in the Middle East and as an important factor for the strategic interests of the United States. It is surprising that the representatives of the Jewish organizations hailed Mrs. Clinton’s speech with standing ovations.

April 2010

Dear friends of Israel:

A few years ago Israel started a program for young Jews from all over the world, enabling them to pay at least one visit to the Holy Land. This initiative, subsidized by the State of Israel and Jewish sponsors, is destined as an incentive for at least a part of the young people to immigrate to Israel later in life. Moreover, the creators of the program hope that the relationship between the Jewish Diaspora and Israel will be strengthened and also the growing threat of assimilation will be counteracted. Especially the current Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu attaches great importance to strengthening the ties to the Jews living abroad. One of its objectives is to bring one million new immigrants to Israel. The accelerating process of modernization in Israel is intended to make the land more desirable for Jews from the Diaspora. It should be kept in mind, however, that in the past about one million people left the land because they had very few opportunities to make a decent living.

Developments such as a growing secularization and the deterioration of Jewish values can also be observed in Israel. The government wants to face these problems by bringing more Jewish values and history into the classrooms again, with putting the emphasis on the ancient and modern history of Israel. This is one of the reasons why the government allocated NIS 400 million to rehabilitate 150 Jewish sites, both ancient and modern, including two sites that are located in Palestinian territory. These locations have been declared national heritage sites. One of them is Rachel's tomb near Bethlehem and the other the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron. Strangely enough the latter is also a holy site for Muslims. After the Israeli included these two sites into the list of national heritage sites, fierce protests erupted among the Palestinians and in the Islamic world. There has also been intense criticism from other countries. Among others the U.S. President Obama has voiced his concern.

March 2010

Dear friends of Israel:

The 27th of January, the day when the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp was liberated by Soviet troops, was established as a global day of commemoration by the UN in November of 2005. This year Israel has paid special attention to the memorial events in Germany and Poland. President Shimon Peres attended the events in Germany, whereas Prime Minister Netanyahu visited those in Poland. In his speech at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp he warned that with Iran a "new Amalek" has appeared on the world stage. When he reminded his audience of the Holocaust, he quoted a passage from Deuteronomy ("Remember what Amalek did to you"; Deut 25:17) and expressed Israel's deep concern over the threats coming from Iran. Israel needs allies from all over the world in order to face this threat. This is one of the reasons why the commemoration events in Poland and Germany were so important to Israel. An international boycott against Iran, led by the industrialized nations, might be the only chance to prevent the production of an Iranian nuclear bomb. Some efforts in that area have already yielded results. For instance, the German company Siemens has annulled a commercial agreement with Iran.

February 2010

Dear friends of Israel:

On January 4, 2010 it was exactly four years since the former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fell into a coma after he had suffered a second stroke. This sad anniversary was a cause for Sharon’s former spokesman and close co-worker over many years, Ra’anan Gissin, to make public comments. He said that ironically Benjamin Netanyahu has turned out to be the political heir of Ariel Sharon, although the recent Premier once was one of his most vociferous critics. Gissin also noted that Netanyahu, like Sharon, moved to the center of the political map after becoming Prime Minister. In doing so, he has followed the “Sharon school of political thought” when he unilaterally froze the settlement construction and negotiated territorial compromise with the Americans before doing so with the Palestinians. “Those who claimed to be Sharon’s successors failed because the tsunami waves that came after his disappearance were too much for them,” Gissin said. “The tragedy is that his fiercest critics … have turned out to be his real successors. Netanyahu hasn’t formed a Kadima, but he has realigned his own party to the Center.” Israel’s recent Premier has taken this step in order to make the decisions he has to make regarding the negotiations with the Palestinians.

Other Sharon advisors said Netanyahu still had to prove himself before they would mention him in the same breath with their former boss. After the decision regarding the settlement freeze Netanyahu is now facing the same poisonous attacks from extremist elements in his party that Sharon did from him. The question is, however, whether Netanyahu will have Sharon’s courage and ability to understand that leadership has a price and whether he will “walk the walk” and not just “talk the talk”. It remains to be seen if he will be a leader or a slave of his Likud party.

January 2010

Dear friends of Israel:

When Israel’s Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu traveled to the United States early in November 2009, the Israeli media virtually went wild because no one knew whether President Obama would receive him or not and what the two politicians were to talk about if a meeting were to take place. Netanyahu and Obama did meet, but they did not follow the usual procedure and appear before the press afterwards. This was the reason why the suspense in the Israeli media was further mounting. After his meeting with the Obama Prime Minister Netanyahu shortly explained that they had talked about important issues and that the results would become apparent later on.

When on November 25 the Israeli Premier announced that his government had decided to freeze the construction of settlements in the Palestinian territories, this dramatic decision could be crucial for the survival of the current government. This step probably was a crucial test for Netanyahu himself because he has always made the settlement construction a national priority. The decision to yield to the demands of the US President and to stop the settlement construction for the time being is more evidence that the strategic partnership between Israel and the United States is of great significance.

December 2009

Dear friends of Israel:

An old saying goes like this: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." In a reverse sense it is also true when we say: "The friend of my enemy is my enemy." This is why the statement of the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyib Erdogan has raised a lot of alarm in Israel. Erdogan has said that Iran's President Ahmadinejad is a friend of Turkey. During the last months the formerly good relations between Israel and Turkey have undergone a profound change of orientation. Three events reveal the extent of this change.

First Turkey abruptly excluded Israel from participation in the annual "Anatolian Eagle" air force exercise which had taken place on October 11. This decision was applauded by the Syrian government, but has caused Israel to reconsider her relations with Turkey.

The second event took place two days later, when Syria's Foreign Minister Muallem announced that Turkish and Syrian forces had just carried out maneuvers near Ankara. Muallem rightly called this an important development.

November 2009

Dear friends of Israel:

The Goldstone report on Israel’s military operation in Gaza has caused a great stir. Israel has rejected the report outright because it is lopsided and biased and actually broadcasts the troubling message that international law has no effective response to offer states confronting terrorist threats.

Five years ago the Israelis removed about 8,000 settlers and their soldiers from the Gaza Strip because they were incessantly told that this measure would lead to the longed-for peace. However, things turned out differently. Gaza has become a hotbed of terror. During the last eight years over 8,000 rockets and mortars have been fired on Israel, and cities like Ashkelon and Beersheba were within reach of the barrage. One million Israelis were no longer able to lead normal lives because they had to live near bomb shelters.

October 2009

Dear friends of Israel:

The government of Benyamin Netanyahu is so extreme in its political orientation that skeptics have expected it to break up very soon. However, in spite of conflicts among coalition partners from opposite political camps this alliance has a remarkable longevity. A possible explanation of this paradox is provided by an article in the Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post, with the telling title "Israel's new national consensus". In the introduction the author, Barry Rubin, mentions that this could be the most important article he has written this year, as Israel has entered a new era of thinking and policy. For the first time the old categories of Left and Right, hawk or dove are irrelevant under a new national unity government. How has this surprising development materialized?

Between 1948 and 1992 the consensus in Israel was that a peace with the Palestinians is impossible and most Arab states are striving for Israel's destruction. Later the Oslo agreement created a deep rift between the promoters and the opponents of a peace treaty. In 2000 the Camp David negotiations failed because the Arab side rejected the generous offers made by the Israelis. Since then, Israel has been seeking a new paradigm for a peace with the Palestinians, as the unilateral offers made by Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert and Tzipi Livni have led to nothing but renewed demands from the Palestinian side.

September 2009

Dear friends of Israel:

During his recent visit to Israel the US special envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, said that a comprehensive peace in the region is one of President Obama's top priorities. The appointment of Mitchell is a proof that a solution of the Middle East conflict is of the utmost importance for the Obama administration. In the past Mitchell already distinguished himself as a determined negotiator. Several years ago he brought about a peace agreement between the hostile parties in Northern Ireland. Moreover, the Israel trips of US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and National Security Advisor Jim Jones also indicate that Israel and the Middle East are really important to President Obama.

During their meetings the politicians also talked about the Jewish settlements in the so-called West Bank and in East Jerusalem. In defiance of the American request that Israel stop all construction in Palestinian territories Prime Minister Netanyahu has just approved a building project in East Jerusalem. Netanyahu obviously wanted to demonstrate that Jerusalem will not be divided again and that the Jews have a right to erect buildings everywhere – not only in Jerusalem, but also in the West Bank. Concerning the Jewish settlements in the latter area Netanyahu declared that it would not be acceptable if a future Palestinian state were "judenrein" (free of Jews). The Jewish settlements in the West Bank could become a measuring stone for the willingness of the Palestinians to accept a peaceful coexistence with their Jewish neighbours.